Search the Collection

Start Your Search

• Start typing in the search box. 
• Results will appear below the box.
• Navigate through the results by clicking on the small, black arrows in the right corner.
• If you want to search for a phrase or sentence, add quotation marks around it – for example "edgefield pottery". 
• If your search returns a large number of results and you are looking for something more specific, refer to the more detailed instructions below to learn how you can use the advanced option to refine your search. 

Basic or Simple Search

The main search box, or Simple Search, gives users the ability to execute broad searches based on specific terms, dates or object types, as well the option to quickly find results entering the title of an art work. To use this function:

• Enter a term into the main search field to search all available fields.
• Select individual years such as "1900" or ranges of time such as "1900 - 1920" to find results by dates. If searching a range of time, make sure to put spaces between the years and the dash.
• Use the Object Name field to look for certain types of results such as "photograph" or "sculpture".
• If you know the title of the artwork you are searching for use the Object Title field.

Advanced Search

You may narrow your down your results even further by utilizing the Advanced Search options. Just click "Advanced Search" in the upper right corner of the search box. A few things to note:

• If you know the name of the artist you are looking for enter that in the field marked Maker/Related Party.
• When searching, try to use the broadest search term possible to best search the data. For instance, the name "Jim" may be entered as either "Jim" or "James" in the record, but last names are usually more unique.
• As noted above, if you want to search for an exact word, phrase or sentence, add quotation marks around it – for example "Edgefield pottery".

Please note that in many cases the South Carolina State Museum owns only the physical object and does not assume responsibility for the associated intellectual property, including copyright, or any other legal rights involved in the publication and reproduction of materials from its collections.

Reproductions of object images in the museum’s collections may be licensed for scholarly, commercial, or personal uses. For more information, please contact Image Rights & Reproduction at digitalmedia@scmuseum.org.